The present invention relates generally to fluid ejection devices, and more particularly to fluid passage supports for a substrate of a fluid ejection assembly.
A conventional inkjet printing system, as one embodiment of a fluid ejection system, includes a printhead, an ink supply which supplies liquid ink to the printhead, and an electronic controller which controls the printhead. The printhead, as one embodiment of a fluid ejection device, ejects ink drops through a plurality of orifices or nozzles and toward a print medium, such as a sheet of paper, so as to print onto the print medium. Typically, the orifices are arranged in one or more arrays such that properly sequenced ejection of ink from the orifices causes characters or other images to be printed upon the print medium as the printhead and the print medium are moved relative to each other.
In one arrangement, commonly referred to as a wide-array inkjet printing system, a plurality of individual printheads, also referred to as printhead dies, are mounted on a single substrate. As such, a number of nozzles and, therefore, an overall number of ink drops which can be ejected per second is increased. Since the overall number of drops which can be ejected per second is increased, printing speed can be increased with the wide-array inkjet printing system.
When mounting a plurality of printhead dies on a single substrate, the single substrate performs several functions including fluid and electrical routing as well as printhead die support. More specifically, the single substrate accommodates communication of ink between the ink supply and each of the printhead dies, accommodates communication of electrical signals between the electronic controller and each of the printhead dies, and provides a stable support for each of the printhead dies. As such, the single substrate may have a plurality of fluid passages formed therethrough to accommodate communication of ink between the ink supply and each of the printhead dies. Unfortunately, forming a plurality of fluid passages through the substrate may compromise the integrity and/or strength of the substrate.
Accordingly, it is desired to enhance the integrity and/or strength of a substrate having a plurality of fluid passages formed therethrough.
One aspect of the present invention provides a fluid ejection assembly. The fluid ejection assembly includes a substrate including a plurality of layers and having a plurality of fluid passages extending through the plurality of layers, with each of the fluid passages having a support extending between opposite sides thereof, and a plurality of fluid ejection devices each mounted on the substrate and communicating with a respective one of the fluid passages.